The Symphony in Mental Blackout
 Dimensions: 6m x 4.2m x 1.8m (flight), 6m x 6.4m x 1.8m (combat) Powerplant: Multiple distributed Millarium 'Flywheel' microdynamos Propulsion: 1x Millarium 'Repulsordrive' vaned photonic thrust drive (inertialess) 1x "Worldcrawler" paradigm shift engine Multiple strafing and attitude repulsorjets Shielding: Standard Millarium outwardly-polarising hull lacquer Speed: Up to approx 0.8c in vacuum, although velocity controls are scaled to a pilot's reflexes Endurance: Nutrient packs in the pilot's armour would run out well before any systems on this vehicle Crew: One, plus one passenger at a very uncomfortable pinch. Armament: 2x rotary Type-2 "Deeplight" McCER cannon, wing mounted; 6x "Flamethrower" light MPA projector, wing mounted; 1x "Shardcannon" MAS point-defense cannon, turret-mounted, underside; 1x "Ramspike" active shield generator There is at present only one Buzzer on the Board's roster, and due to the lack of handy Millarium crystal it is unlikely that there will be more at any time in the near future. The one in question, officially registry number DLECEM0479 but more commonly known as the Symphony in Mental Blackout, belongs to Board/FLEET Liaison molTare Erda. The Buzzer was designed primarily as a vehicle for Drax on away missions, to carry them to where they were needed and to provide a handy set of Big Guns when they got there should flechettes and sonic ram prove insufficient. Capable of running nearly silent, and blessed with a low albedo when its shields are inactive, it is a stealthy ship when not being unsubtly destructive, and a limited remote-piloting system allows the vessel to be brought down from orbit or across from a previous landing point to the operator's location without too much difficulty; this is a moot point in the case of the Board's one MSF-3 asset as it has been fitted (some would argue illegally) with a minor AI system capable of piloting the ship itself under simple instructions. This AI answers to the name of 'Symie' and is deemed by Board AI specialists to be, if not unstable, at least really sarcastic, thus fulfilling Board requirements for an AI likely to be used in sensitive or combat situations. Indeed, it has already been used in such situations and proved itself to be really quite effective. Notable features in the design of the DLV-MSF-3 class include a prone piloting position: the pilot lies on a moulded platform maneuvering the ship via the advanced control collective and foot controls, the whole being capable of rotation through the vehicle's nose-to-tail axis to provide access to less-often-used controls such as long-distance navigation and incidentally ensuring that those outside can never be entirely sure that the pilot of a seemingly-oblivious Buzzer isn't watching them and waiting for them to make their move. Also of interest is the location of the weapon mounts on extendable wing sections which in combat give the Buzzer its characteristic axehead shape; in order to generate a ramspike field of useful depth, the wings must be retracted, which temporarily reduces the combat effectiveness of the ship to its six forward-facing plasma throwers - weapons of purely anti-infantry use and of almost no value against Infernal infantry and armour with its quite infamous resistance to heat. The McCER (Millarium-compressed Coherent Electromagnetic Radiation) cannon in the dished section of the wing extension provide this vessel's main punch, capable of shooting bolts of highly-compressed laser fire at a rate of three rounds every two seconds which can cause - for a fighter - shocking damage to armoured targets both mobile and emplaced. As a final note: The DLV-MSF-3 is an excellent choice for emergency scrambles to a distant beleaguered target due to the onboard Worldcrawler drive, a paradigm shift engine allowing the pilot to travel outside the fabric of a thread of reality. The basis of this device on Narrative Convention ensures that, no matter how far away the objective is, the Buzzer will reach it just in the nick of time. Unless sad violins are playing, in which case it will arrive to find a field of debris and just enough information about the target's demise to be of later use... |